Let's Make A Rubber Band Slingshot

Do you have something that needs to be shot and  nothing to shoot it with?  A neighbor's window, a possum that is getting into your trash can, perhaps even an obnoxious little brother or sister?  What if there were something you could make, something that is cheap and easy and would take care of the situation?  Does that sound like something you might like to do?  If it does, then read on.

For this project you will need a stick, some rubber bands, and a small piece of leather or some other type of fabric that is thick and strong.  If you have guessed that we're going to make a slingshot, then you get a gold star.  Let's do it.

All right then.  First you need a stick.  And it must have a V in it.  If you are so unfortunate as to not live in the middle of the woods, perhaps you can find a suitable shrub in your neighbors flower bed, your wife's greenhouse, or maybe you can get one from a tree in the park down the road or at the town square.  If you are going to procure a stick anywhere other than on your own property, it is best done under cover of darkness.  Some people do not like to have fun and will not understand, so it is best to avoid them whenever possible.

Here is our stick.  It is a nice stick with a perfectly shaped v.  If you will notice, we have already used a round file and filed a groove around the top where the rubber bands will fasten on.

 

Our stick is actually a little bit too long.  Ideally it should be about the length of your fingers, when you place the web of your hand on the v.  My nephew didn't want to bother with cutting it so we just left it as it is.

Then you will need some rubber bands.  I bought a whole package of them at Office Depot for $4.00 and something.  This is enough rubber bands to make three or four decently powerful slingshots.

This photo only shows a few of the rubber bands that were in the package.  There are oodles of them left in the package to make more slingshots.


And here is a strip of leather.  I bought a whole package of leather scraps at Hobby Lobby and this piece will work wonderfully.  I guess if you have to, you could cut up someone's boots or a belt in order to get the leather off of it.

These rubber bands are not the strongest in the world so we used four of them at a time.  Then get another four and braid them together, then another four, and so on.  Make it however long you wish.  If you have some really strong rubber bands, then maybe you only need one rubber band for each link.

 

After you get all of your links put together, put your piece of leather on the same way you linked the rubber bands together.  Then you put the other and of the rubber bands onto your stick using the same basic maneuver.

 

When it is all said and done, you end up with something like this.  Bring on the squirrels!  Or the kitty cats!  Or the snotty nosed, irritating little brat down the street!

 

It is difficult to describe the process of linking the rubber bands together but if you will watch this video, it will show you exactly how it is done.  If you already have a stick, he will show you how to complete the process.

 

Happy slingshotting!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9repjiXyO0&feature=related